These last few weeks, as we started to
commemorate our 20 years with Echo Germanica, were most
interesting. With the early arrival of spring we also renewed
our interest and commitment. It feels almost like a new start. A
few interesting prospects opened up and we will take advantage
of them as we go along.

I was most pleased to receive a letter from the Premier of
Ontario congratulating us to our publication’s anniversary.
There was also a nice note from a colleague, which I found
especially generous, since it came totally unsolicited, as did
congrats from readers in various forms.

We thank you all! It is important for us to know how you feel
about Echo Germanica, thus we appreciate your efforts to write
to us.

April was also the month to turn me into a senior citizen. I
looked at the photo in this letter to you and decided that it
needed to be updated urgently to a more appropriate and timely
portrait. I actually did not do a lot of celebrating, I plan to
do that every time I get my seniors discount at the movies and
in other venues; after all, there has to be some reward in
getting on in years and I plan to take full advantage of it.

We celebrated an anniversary of the German Club Hansa in
Brampton/Mississauga, and the Lorely Club in Oshawa. We went to
a fabulous Via Salzburg concert and Abbamania in the Danube
Swabian Club in Scarborough; and on the first almost real
summery day with 23 degrees Celsius we went to Niagara Falls,
thus our front page! One special birthday we have to commemorate
in grand style. It happened too close to our deadline and
therefore will be published in the next issue. Maria Piller,
also known as Mutti Piller, who many readers know not just from
her work with the Canadian Austrian Society, Toronto Chapter,
turned 100 years old. We will be meeting with her especially for
an interview and report to you next month about her life. In the
meantime we congratulate her on this most wonderful occasion,
her first century!

Every other spare moment we had was spent in the garden planting
pansies and reseeding the lawn and making everything ready for a
glorious summer season. How fabulous it is to sit in the garden
already for breakfast and watch the birds and squirrels scour
for seeds and nuts we left out for them. The songbirds put
always on a nice concert for us and the other creatures also let
us know that they appreciate what we do for them.

Spring is indeed rejuvenating!

As we are approaching Mother’s Day I cannot help but remember
mine too, even though she is long gone. I remember her by
planting her favorite flowers in the garden, very tall
“Margeriten” (big white Daisies) and Gladiolas, which will be in
their glory come August, which was her birthday month, and
unfortunately also the month I had to say good bye to her. It is
a wonderful way of keeping her memory alive for me and helps me
recall all the wonderful times we had together, despite the hard
time, which have faded away, labeled unimportant.

We hope all mothers are remembered and well celebrated on
Mother’s Day and every day! They probably have the most
stressful job of all.